PITTSBURGH, Nov. 9, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- USW President Leo W. Gerard issued the following statement after today's remarks by President Obama for action, not politics as usual:

"President Obama declared today let's get to work on jobs and growth for the middle class. The United Steelworkers agrees and we stand ready to help. The President's election victory on Tuesday said voters want our leaders to pull together around the shared belief that working families need job and income security now.

"The House of Representatives are coming back to Washington next week in a 'lame-duck' session, and they should join the re-elected President to enact the middle-class tax cut that has already passed the U.S. Senate.

"The voters need more economic security, not less. The wealthy must pay their fair share.  No more Bush tax cuts for the richest 2 percent. No benefit cuts for Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.

"We have also joined 146 national organizations in a letter sent today to President Obama that calls on Congress to work together with the President to prioritize job creation, oppose benefit cuts to social insurance programs, protect the safety net and require corporations and wealthy individuals to pay their fair share."

The full text of the letter and list of signers is at: www.usw.org.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20080131/DC12982LOGO )

Contact: Gary Hubbard, 202-778-4384; 202-256-8125; ghubbard@usw.org

SOURCE United Steelworkers (USW)